The legislation, ‘Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ‘, is named after Senator Lindsey Graham – one of Ukraine’s staunch defenders in Washington.
US President Donald Trump has signed the Russia sanctions bill into law, paving the way for up to 100 per cent tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, and putting India and China under threat.
Trump’s nod came two days after the Republican-led House of Representatives passed the sweeping sanctions bill by a vote of 262-159.
The legislation, ‘Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ‘, is named after Senator Lindsey Graham – one of Ukraine’s staunch defenders in Washington. He died in July this year shortly after returning from a trip to Kyiv.
All about the Russia sanctions bill
The legislation seeks to reduce the financial resources sustaining Russia’s war against Ukraine. It targets Russian officials, banks, energy interests, and foreign entities supporting Moscow’s military operations. The law authorises Trump to impose tariffs on countries doing business with Russia to cut their dependence on Russian oil and gas.
According to the House Ways and Means Committee, the legislation directs tariffs of up to 500 per cent on Russian goods. It also provides for duties of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries covered by its Russian oil and gas purchase provisions – which cover major Russian energy importers and leading facilitators of oil sanctions evasion.
Additionally, the bill includes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior figures in the Russian government.
The impact on India
India is facing a new tariff threat now that Trump has signed the Russia sanctions bill into law.
An amendment introduced by Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer had called for explicitly naming 10 nations – China, India, the UAE, Turkiye, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, and Slovakia – to be eligible for tariffs of up to 100 per cent under the bill’s secondary tariff provisions. However, the amendment does not itself impose a 100 per cent duty on India.
The tariffs could be imposed on India if Trump chooses to exercise his power.
If Trump levies the 100 per cent tariff on India, it would be on top of a 10 per cent tariff that the US currently imposes on imports from New Delhi as a penalty for not doing enough to stop the import of goods made using forced labour.
However, the exact impact of new tariffs on Indian exports can be assessed only after the US announces the tariff rates.
India and the US had strained ties last year when Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports of Russian crude, on top of a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff. The additional tariffs were, however, removed in February 2026, while the reciprocal tariff was reduced to 18 per cent as part of a US-India trade framework.
What India said
India on Wednesday – when the US Congress passed the Russia sanctions bill – made it clear that it is determined to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests.
“As stated on several earlier occasions, India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and based on evolving market dynamics,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
